


one day i will find the right words, and they will be simple.

by yawwwrp



Category: K-pop, Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Smut, M/M, Nothing too explicit, Pining, Slow Burn, Writer!changbin, but only a lil bit bc im wholesome, everyone is oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:34:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28570839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yawwwrp/pseuds/yawwwrp
Summary: Changbin, part idol, part anonymous online writer starts posting a story about his members that gets surprisingly popular. With it comes awkward moments, feelings and a whole lot of revelations.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Lee Minho | Lee Know/Seo Changbin
Comments: 80
Kudos: 127





	1. Write what you know

**Author's Note:**

> whew guys
> 
> honestly, this one is very meta
> 
> i feel like i read a fanfic with a vaguely similar plot from a completely different fandom years ago though i don't remember the name of it, so disclaimer, this is not 100% my idea. i couldn't stop thinking about changbin taking up writing stuff about his homies the other day though so this happened
> 
> i would like to apologize in advance for absolutely everything, but mostly the tiny lil bit of smut in chapter 9 - i am a softie at heart and have never written that before so pls forgive me  
> this is gonna be a monster of a story so brace yourself for a lotta words  
> character names for changbin's story will be in the end notes!
> 
> i still hope you enjoy it~

The early spring sun was rustling the leaves on the tree outside Changbin’s window as the sunlight shone down on the open laptop in front of him. He heard the members playing games and chatting in the living room and tore his eyes from the tree to stare back at the blank document open in front of him.

Writing was easier said than done. That’s what the article had said. Changbin had been feeling a bit down and conflicted lately for no particular reason and Chan mentioned that maybe he should just write his thoughts down instead of brooding over them. Surely he had meant it in the form of lyrics or even a journal, but Changbin’s mind immediately went towards a story.

When he had still been in school, he had enjoyed writing stories for his literature classes. He hadn’t written since then - nothing but lyrics anyway.

Felix popped his head into the room. “You wanna join us? You’ve been hiding in here for hours now.”

Changbin tried to block Felix’s view of the laptop. It’s not that he was embarrassed about wanting to write suddenly, but it felt like his own little secret. He shook his head.

Felix nodded and handed him a plate of watermelon. “Join us whenever you want.”

With that, he left again and Changbin bit into a piece of juicy watermelon as he stared at the empty page once more.

Write what you know.

An idea bloomed in the back of Changbin’s head, just like a daisy on a sunny day in April. He put the watermelon down and with a smile on his face, he started typing.

Changbin had been writing his story and posting it under a pseudonym on a popular story page for amateur writers on the internet for about two months now. He was writing whenever he had time - in between schedules, before he went to sleep, during flights. He was still keeping it a secret from everyone, especially since his members would probably not be too happy about the story he was writing.

The story Changbin had come up with was about eight friends and their journey through life as young adults. Not as idols of course, that would be too on the nose. Somehow the plot kind of took on a life of its own after the first few pages and without even realizing it, Minho’s character Minyoon had become the protagonist. Most of the time, the characters just wrote the story for him, or at least that’s what it felt like to Changbin. 

Surprisingly, it became fairly popular on the website and he frequently received comments on the chapters with readers being excited about what would happen next and rooting for the characters. It was kind of overwhelming for Changbin at first, leading this strange double life and receiving attention for something that wasn’t his music.

The first big shock happened when Changbin went on social media one day and, just out of curiosity, checked to see if anyone had actually ever mentioned his story online. And oh boy, people sure did.

There were posts upon posts of fans’ speculations every time he had posted a new chapter, people discussing the characters’ personality traits and relationships, even some artwork of readers drawing the characters. It filled Changbin with an intense feeling of excitement, something so similar to what he felt when he saw fan messages about Stray Kids, yet so different.

He was currently reading through a thread of people arguing whether the new character he had introduced would develop feelings for the book version of Seungmin - Sungsoo. It was interesting to see people’s opinions on what his friends were like, he didn’t really change much of their personalities. For the most part, he was observing the members these days. Whether during practice, schedules or simple things like dinner at the dorm. There were some things he had never really noticed before and it was exciting to him, learning more about them even by just watching.

Changbin clicked on the thread below the one he had been reading and his eyes widened.

_ Minyoon and Jinsun were so cute in this chapter!! I hope they get together TT _

_ are u dumb they r just friends _

_ anyone who thinks minsun aren’t soulmates is wrong~ _

The words make him pause. It was pretty normal to see posts about the members having some kind of bromance going on, but hearing the same thing about his characters was a strange feeling. Were Minho and Jisung, or Minyoon and Jinsun, really  _ that _ close?

The question stuck with him for the rest of the day, all throughout dance practice, a chaotic game of UNO at the dorm and dinner.

At the restaurant, Minho sidled up next to Changbin, grabbing a piece of meat off of his plate. He raised an eyebrow at Changbin.

“Everything okay?” 

Changbin looked at him, being ripped from his thoughts. “Huh? Uh… yeah, I’m fine.”

Minho wasn’t satisfied with the answer. “You’ve been pretty quiet lately. And you’re not even mad at me for stealing meat.”

At that, Changbin put on a fake annoyed expression. “My meat!”

Felix watched their exchange with furrowed brows from the other side of the table. “He’s been glued to his laptop for like two months now. Is there something you wanna tell us, Binnie?”

A shiver ran over Changbin’s back. “I’m just… chatting with my friend.”

Jisung waggled his eyebrows, joining in on the conversation. “A romantic friend, perhaps?”

Changbin rolled his eyes and picked up some food with his chopsticks. “No, just a friend.”

A wild debate over Changbin’s mysterious friend broke up, though Minho’s eyes lingered on Changbin with concern for a while longer.

Since the next day was an off day for them, they decided to have some drinks back at the dorm, with Hyunjin and Jisung arguing over the playlist they wanted to put on in the living room.

It was fun for Changbin, being distracted for a while, and before he knew it, he was much drunker than he had intended on being. 

It was barely past midnight when everyone decided to head to bed, but Changbin’s intoxicated mind was brimming with ideas. He wrote the next chapter on his phone to the sound of Chan and Felix’s laughter about some inside joke which soon turned into drunk snoring.

With a satisfied grin, Changbin hit the ‘Post’ button and dropped his phone on his bed next to his pillow. His eyelids shut before he even registered it and soon, he was dead to the world.

The world was loud, bright and vicious and Changbin was sure that the universe hated him. He woke up with a splitting headache and nauseous as hell and his only silver lining was that most of the members seemed to fare just as well, or badly, as him.

The dorm was uncharacteristically quiet that day, half the group going back to sleep after breakfast and the other half trying to cure the hangover with tv or just lounging around.

Changbin joined Felix in their room and laid in bed, scrolling through his phone while Felix groaned and moaned about being in pain before drifting off to sleep.

A feeling of dread overcame him as he checked the writing website and he saw tons of messages talking about the new chapter.

_ this is the best one yet omg!!!!!! _

_ things are heating up! :D _

_ nooooo i thought minyoon and jinsun were a sure thing what is going on?!? _

_ i cant wait to see how this goes dslghksld _

He suddenly vaguely remembered posting a chapter the night before. He winced at the introduction for the chapter, though he was surprised that there were next to no typos and the story actually made sense. Apparently his drunk self was much more eloquent and capable than he had expected.

As he read the chapter he didn’t remember writing, his eyebrows raised higher and higher. His eyes darted over the lines, reading on as the characters enjoyed a nice day at an amusement park. The longer he read, the comments started making more and more sense to him.

He hadn’t realized that he had written Minyoon and Jinsun as if there was some romantic tension but what he had not expected whatsoever was that it now also seemed like Changho, his own story-self, was harboring some ambiguous feelings towards the main character.

His head was spinning as he finished reading and he shut off his phone, staring up at the bunk above him.

Changbin groaned quietly as his headache intensified and he buried his face in his pillow. Enough. This is where the story had to end.


	2. An infectious narrative

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> today i woke up and chose chaos and i'm making all of you deal with it
> 
> i deeply apologize, maybe consecutive lockdowns for almost a year are getting too me
> 
> anywayssssssssss pls enjoy! :)

With each passing day, Changbin hoped he could finally get his attention off his stupid story and the confusing feelings associated with it and return himself back to reality. And with each passing day, he lost a little more hope that it would happen.

The members seemed to notice the shift in him as well, continually asking him if he was okay or if there was something going on, which Changbin denied time and time again. Eventually, they gave up on asking, though Changbin could tell they were trying hard to cheer him up.

He would usually post once or twice a week, and he still checked social media and the writing website from time to time, but the messages made him feel guilty. There were messages upon messages asking when the next chapter would be up and whether the story had been abandoned, with some fans even saying they would cry if there were no more chapters.

Changbin heaved a sigh as he joined the others in the living room after practice where Chan was currently distributing everyone’s takeout orders.

“There you go”, he smiled while handing Changbin a styrofoam box. “Enjoy, guys!”

Seungmin nudged Hyunjin. “Why are you so mopey today?”

Hyunjin pushed his food around with the chopsticks and sighed dramatically. “It’s because of the story.”

Seungmin rolled his eyes. “Dear lord.”

Jisung cut in with a full mouth of food, “What story?”

“He’s been reading this story on the internet and he’s too invested in it.”

Hyunjin snorted though it sounded annoyed. “You don’t get it. You’d be invested too if you actually read it!”

Changbin felt anxiety rising within him. No way was Hyunjin reading his story. He was probably talking about some webtoon or something. Right?

“It’s been ages since the last chapter and there was a love triangle starting to form with Minyoon and Jinsun and Changho and I just need the writer to update”, Hyunjin whined and Seungmin shoved him a little harder.

“Stop being dramatic and eat!”

Minho gave Changbin a look. “You good?”

Changbin realized he had been frozen in place, food halfway to his mouth in midair. He quickly nodded and continued eating, thoughts racing through his mind and a tight coil of nerves in his stomach making him lose his appetite.

This was the worst possible outcome.

“Send me the link later! I wanna read it too, if it’s good”, Felix mumbled as he finished his pizza. Jeongin agreed and asked Hyunjin for the link as well and Changbin ate the rest of his food in silence, heart beating twice as fast as it should.

Changbin found it hard to fall asleep that night.

As the members left the dorm the next morning, there was a loud discussion while they exited the apartment to get to work.

“I mean, it’s pretty clear that Hyuntae is the best character. Why are we even having this discussion?”

Felix laughed at Hyunjin. “That’s a lie and you know it. I loved the part with him and Sungsoo at the park though.”

“The one with the ducks?”, Jeongin piped up as he climbed down a flight of stairs. “That was funny.”

“No, no, the one where they prank Minyoon and he gets super pissed off.”

Hyunjin laughs. “That’s one of the best ones, apart from the love plot.”

Jeongin rolls his eyes at him, almost tripping over the last step. “I don’t really care about the love story but the side plot about the other guys is really good.”

Hyunjin and Felix gasped in sync and Hyunjin glared at Jeongin. “What do you mean you don’t care?”

Chan cleared his throat as they left the building. “Can you please stop talking about that story? I don’t understand a single word.”

Felix grinned at him, happy to have found a victim to convince. He knew that Chan was putty in his hands. “Then read it!”

Changbin was cautious not to get into the car with the currently obsessed members and spent the ride in silence, praying to every deity he could think of to end his suffering. He should have never posted the story to begin with. But hindsight is twenty-twenty.

Luckily none of them seemed to have figured out that Changbin was the mysterious author of the story, even though everyone but Minho and himself had started reading it the following days.

When Chan, Jisung and Seungmin joined in on the current craze, Minho had just given them a blank stare.

“Why would I want to read that?”, he asked over a cup of coffee while they were getting ready in the waiting room. “I hear everything about this story all day long from you guys anyway.”

Jisung whined. “Why are you being so difficult? Binnie, you should read it at least.”

Changbin really hoped that his face was not betraying the embarrassment and nerves he was feeling. “No thanks.”

Seungmin sat down next to him. “How come? I mean I was doubting them at first but it’s actually really good.”

The praise had Changbin feeling proud for a moment before it was quickly replaced by conflicted emotions again. “It doesn’t sound like my type of thing.”

“Suit yourself.”

Hyunjin was done with hair and makeup and joined them. “I just wish a new chapter came out! I’ve been waiting for so long, what if it doesn’t get updated until I  _ die _ ?!”

“God, you really love being the resident drama queen don’t you?”, Chan chuckled. “You’re exactly like Hyuntae.”

Thankfully they were called to perform right after his sentence and Changbin was glad to be spared another discussion for a little while.

Everyone was exhausted when they finally returned back to the dorm in the evening and Changbin hid himself away in his room. He checked his phone to see the notifications from the writing website and sighed deeply.

He clicked on it just to see what people were saying and was surprised at the immense amount of messages begging for another chapter. For a while he just sat on his bed, scrolling through them, fighting an inner war with himself. On one hand, it had been a bad idea to write the story - if his members ever found out that he was the one writing it and that it was about them, he would probably die. On the other, he had enjoyed writing it and was happy that so many people, including his members, had enjoyed reading it. 

Time ticked by as he heard some of his friends yelling through the wall to join them for a movie. He replied that he was not in the mood and fixed his eyes on the tree outside the window, swaying softly in the dark night wind. 

A moment later, he had grabbed his laptop and opened the document, deciding to breathe new life into the story he had wanted to abandon.


	3. The calm before the storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayoooooooo!
> 
> i've started watching super random shows on netflix bc i cant find anything good to watch so if anyone has any recommendations (literally anything) i'd love it if you could let me know! :D
> 
> pls enjoy and have a good day/night!

Duelling screams came from the room next to Changbin’s, waking him up in the morning. Hyunjin and Seungmin appeared in his room just a moment later, violently shaking Felix awake.

“They updated! Felix, wake up!”

Felix blinked sleepily at the two of them for a moment before his eyes widened and he frantically searched for his phone.

Changbin closed his eyes again with a sigh, trying to return to the peace and quiet as Felix left their room to join the others in theirs. The resulting silence made Changbin realize that Chan wasn’t in the room and he wondered where Chan had gone off to so early in the morning.

He would receive an answer to his question just five minutes later when Chan returned to the dorm with pastries and coffee cups.

“In honor of the new chapter, your best leader has brought you a delicious breakfast”, he announced as he placed his gifts on the kitchen table. The members quickly shuffled into the kitchen, most everyone chatting up the recent update.

Minho just sat at the table staring into thin air. He took a bite off a croissant and hummed in content. “If we get breakfast service every time your story gets updated, then I hope there’s a new chapter every day.”

Changbin’s ears perked up when he heard Hyunjin and Jisung whine.

“What is it with this chick? She’s ruining Jinsun’s chances”, Jisung said with a pout and took a sip of coffee. “I was rooting for them!”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes. “What do you mean Jinsun’s chances? She’s coming in between Changho and Minyoon.”

Felix nodded. “Very true. I hope she doesn’t end up with Minyoon…”

Minho snorted. “How can you be so overly invested in this? Can’t we talk about something else for a change?”

“Well, what do you want to talk about?”, Seungmin asked, handing Jeongin a bread bun.

Minho thought for a minute but couldn’t come up with anything so Seungmin just made a face at him and joined in on the others’ story discussion.

Meanwhile, Changbin was staring at his coffee, mind stuck on his friends’ words. If they didn’t react to the new character he made up to set Minyoon up with, what would be the fans’ reaction?

“Earth to Seo Changbin.”

Changbin’s head whipped up to find Minho getting ready to throw a piece of bread at him. “Oh good, you’re still with us.”

“Sorry, what did you say? I zoned out.”

Minho pursed his lips. “I said you should talk to me - we’re the only normal ones here.”

Changbin bit the inside of his cheek. Oh, if he only knew.

They spent the day recording songs and Changbin checked the comments on the last chapter in between takes, though he regretted it almost instantly.

_ who is this snake trying to steal minyoon????? _

_ I HATE HER _

_ can she leave?  _ **_#minsun4ever_ **

_ Idk I like her I hope she gets together with Minyoon :) _

_ nooo now changho has another rival D;  _ **_#teamchangyoon_ **

Changbin pocketed his phone and sighed in frustration. Chan sat down next to him and handed him a bottle of water.

“Are you okay? You seem down.” He watched Changbin take a sip.

“I’m fine. Just tired, I guess.”

Chan didn’t seem to buy it but he clasped a hand on Changbin’s shoulder. “Talk to me, if you want to. You’re up next, by the way.”

As he got ready to record his lines, Changbin tried to calm himself down, though the comments online stayed with him the entire rest of the day.

They ended the recording session pretty late and were happy to just go home and relax. Which is exactly what Changbin’s plan was until Minho pulled him aside as they left the building.

“Get food with me.”

Changbin raised an eyebrow at him. “That sounds like an order, not a request.”

“Correct.” Minho grinned at him and pulled him in the other direction of the street as the rest of the members made their way home.

The number one reason you shouldn’t write about your friends or yourself, Changbin learned, is that it’s hard to separate the story from real life.

Ever since he saw the comments about the love triangle, his mind had been preoccupied with Minho, Minho and Jisung or Minho and himself. It made him feel strange to think about it, a feeling he couldn’t quite figure out, couldn’t put his finger on what exactly it was that made him nervous and shaky.

He found his eyes drifting to Minho and Jisung lately, watching them interact, joke around, banter and flirt teasingly. But that was just friendliness.

When he thought about Minho and himself, he realized that he didn’t spend nearly as much time with him as he did with Jisung. Minho was always caring but teasing with everyone and Changbin was no exception. He always had encouraging words for him, always could tell when something was bothering Changbin or when he needed someone to be close to him.

The feeling he got when he thought about this was very different from the feeling he experienced thinking about Minho and Jisung.

And still he just couldn’t unravel what exactly those feelings were.

Minho returned from the street food stand and handed Changbin a skewer as he sat down next to him on the bench nearby.

“Enjoy”, he sing-songed happily and took a bite. “Oh, it’s hot, be careful.”

Changbin ate his skewer in silence, still lost in his thoughts, until Minho nudged him softly in the side.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Changbin almost choked on the piece of meat he was chewing. Minho clapped him on the back with a worried look as Changbin coughed a few times.

“Thanks…”, Changbin choked out. “And I’m fine, really.”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

Changbin elbowed him and Minho yelped in response.

“This is what I get for being nice and caring and buying you food”, he huffed but there was no heat behind the words.

“You’re older than me, you should be buying me food anyway”, Changbin replied with a pout.

Minho was happy that he was acting a bit more like himself again and laughed. “Yeah right, punk.”

When they returned to the dorm, everyone but Chan and Felix was asleep already, drained from recording all day. Chan and Felix were talking in the living room when Changbin and Minho entered the dorm and greeted them with a wave.

“Have a good meal?”, Chan asked.

Minho rubbed his stomach. “Very, you missed out.”

Felix made a face at them. “You didn’t even bring us anything?”

Chan clutched his chest dramatically and added, “The disrespect.”

Changbin sat down on his bed with his laptop, foregoing the usual comment checks and got right back to writing. He stared at where he had left off for a moment, wondering what exactly he was supposed to do now.

Moments of the day were replaying in his head - Jeongin and Jisung trying to cut Hyunjin’s hair while Seungmin was recording, Felix attempting and failing to split an apple in half during lunch, Jisung and Minho having a tickle match, Minho’s face as he handed him the skewer.

Changbin’s emotions pulled him in different directions and he had a vague feeling of impending doom descend upon him, wondering if what he was writing was projecting on to him.

It felt like there was thunder in his veins, like a calm before the storm as he took a deep breath and let the levee break, words flowing out of him like an unruly river.


	4. A change in the wind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyall~
> 
> i hope you are all having or have had a lovely day today!  
> my vacation is slowly coming to an end and i'm starting my new job on monday so i'm trying to distract myself from nervousness and anticipation by writing :S
> 
> out of curiosity, i was wondering what you guys' favorite ships are? (skz or other groups)
> 
> have a fresh time everyone and please enjoy! :D

Some stories were probably written through blood, sweat and tears. Slaving over every single word until it was perfect - like a masterpiece carved into stone.

For Changbin, his story felt like someone else was writing it, like he was on autopilot and the characters had taken him hostage to tell their story themselves through him.

Every time he tried to make the story fit, tried to change it so that he could find alternative solutions to the strange love plot, a barrier pulled up in his mind. His thoughts wiped clean like a new slate.

And so, he eventually gave up on it, just let the narrative run its own course as it wanted, like a child with wide eyed enthusiasm. After all, this was just a story and not real life. He just had to learn how to make that distinction in his heart.

Fans and his members alike were happy that he gave up on the love interest he had shoved into the story like a swollen foot into an ill fitting shoe. The next few days were filled once again with the rest of the members discussing their preferences on who Minyoon should end up with, with Jisung going so far as to threaten that, if Hyunjin wouldn’t stop talking about Changho and Minyoon’s chemistry, he would make a fifty slide powerpoint presentation on why Jinsun deserved the world.

Since none of the members had figured that Changbin was the author of their beloved ongoing struggle, Changbin could finally relax a little bit, enjoying the praise and enthusiasm his friends showed about what he had written. It felt good to be recognized for something other than his music for a change, even if they didn’t know it was him.

Minho complained again and again about their choice of conversation topic and took the opportunity to start pestering Changbin more often, just like he did at the moment.

“Go to the gym with me”, he muttered as he grabbed his workout clothes from the clothing rack where he had left them to dry after doing laundry. “Chan’s coming too.”

“But I’m comfy right now”, Changbin whined as he stretched his legs out on the couch, eyes still fixed on some Netflix reality show.

Minho stood next to him for a moment and made a noise at the show he was watching. “Wow. You’re really giving up on a chance to work out with your favorite people for whatever the hell that nonsense is?”

Changbin sighed. “Fine. Give me ten minutes to grab my stuff.”

“You look happy these days”, Chan commented as the three of them walked towards the gym. “Is whatever was on your mind good now?”

Changbin smiled at him. “Yeah, all good.”

Minho hummed, seemingly in thought. “What happened though?”

The question made Changbin’s steps falter. “What do you mean?”

“What issue was so bad that you couldn’t talk about it with us? And how did it get better?”

Fortunately, Changbin didn’t need to answer his question as they reached the gym and focused their minds on working out. 

They finished their workout late and it was already dark outside when they left the gym.

“Anyone up for a post-workout meal?”, Minho asked, running a hand through his hair.

Chan put up his hands in surrender. “Sorry, I actually got some stuff to work on so I’m gonna head home.”

Minho turned towards Changbin with an expectant look. “Don’t let me down, Seo.” Changbin’s stomach made the decision for him with a loud grumble and Minho let out a laugh. “Happy to hear you’re coming along.”

They parted ways with Chan at the intersection and headed to a small restaurant, sitting down at one of the tables in the outside seating area. It was a relatively warm early summer night and Changbin leaned back, watching the bustling streets around them. There was a nice breeze blowing through the nightly air and Changbin got lost in the white noise surrounding them for a moment, until the waitress came to their table.

Minho was talking about some movie he watched the other day and complained about the main characters stupid decisions, animatedly moving his arms around. It was nice seeing him like this, Changbin realized. Minho was always a steady place of comfort and didn’t dwell on issues or bad experiences, trying to enjoy his life as best as he could, even in the face of failure or hardship. Their food was served and Minho stared at Changbin’s meal with wide eyes.

“Oh that looks good”, he breathed out. “Can I have a bite?”

Changbin pushed the plate over to him so he could have a piece. “Can I try yours then?”

Minho nodded, cut a slice off his steak and fed it to Changbin who tensed for a moment. Something about this scene felt strange. He stared into Minho’s shining eyes, holding the food out to him with a smile. Changbin’s arms felt shaky all of a sudden.

“Eat.” Minho moved the food around a bit in front of Changbin’s face and Changbin opened his mouth. Minho grinned and put on a cutesy voice, “Good job.”

Changbin swallowed hard, eyes fixed on the little potted plant on the side of their table. Why was he feeling so weird? Minho had fed him food many times before so why was it so different now? Did he work out for too long? Was he getting sick?

Minho pushed Changbin’s plate back over to him. “It’s good but mine’s better.”

The walk back home was silent and the wind was getting stronger leading Minho to close his jacket and bumping into Changbin.

The simple contact of Minho’s arm with his shoulder sent a shock through Changbin and it confused him even more, stopping him in his tracks. What the hell was wrong with him?

Minho stopped a few steps ahead of him and turned back to look at Changbin.

“Are you coming?”

Changbin nodded slowly, catching up to him.

“The wind’s so strong now”, Minho muttered through gritted teeth. “I wonder if there will be a storm.”

Changbin stayed silent, head spinning. 

“What are you so quiet for again? Tired?” Minho’s words were baiting an argument, though his tone was soft. A couple rushed past them, the girl holding on to her boyfriend’s arm, giggling as they turned right to enter a bar. Changbin’s eyes followed them until the door to the bar closed behind them.

“Yeah, just tired.”

Minho was intercepted by Seungmin and Jisung when they came home, forcing him to join them in the living room to settle some argument they were having with Hyunjin.

Changbin got ready for bed and entered his room, flopping down on his bed. Chan looked up from his laptop for a moment to nod at Changbin as a greeting before focusing back on whatever he was doing.

For a while, Changbin just laid on his bed with an arm thrown over his face and attempted to calm the mess of feelings coursing through his body. It took him a long time to fall asleep that night.


	5. Accepting chaos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yoooooo~
> 
> quick survey, are you team changyoon or team jinsun?  
> on an unrelated note, i don't really like summer (bc of the heat) but i hate winter even more and would love to be on a beach on a tropical island with a cocktail right now while there's just piles of snow outside my window :(
> 
> hope you all stay warm and healthy my friends! :D

Another day at the recording studio and Changbin found it once again hard to focus, this time for different reasons. Every now and then his eyes would wander over to Minho just to find Minho staring back at him with a blank expression on his face. And every time Changbin looked away and busied himself, trying to put aside his thoughts and mixed emotions to focus on the song they were recording.

As soon as they returned home, Changbin sat down with his laptop. It’s like his brain turned itself off when he was writing, the words appearing on the screen in front of him and he was grateful to escape into the fictional reality he had created. A reality where his feelings didn’t matter, only the characters’ did.

He stayed up late, writing half the night, burning the midnight oil. When he was done, his eyelids were heavy and he sleepily rubbed a hand over his eyes, reading the chapter one more time.

Reading through it now, it dawned on him that it might not be a good idea to post this after all. Even he had to admit that it certainly seemed like Changho harbored some more than friendly feelings for Minyoon and he let his head fall back in frustration.

He reminded himself again that this was only a story, though this time it felt like he was telling a lie that was designed to convince himself that things weren’t as they were.

It was difficult this time, clicking the button to post the chapter and the heavy weight in his chest didn’t budge as he put the laptop away and curled up under his covers.

Changbin chose their free day off the next day to just lie in bed and figure out what was happening to him. It made his head hurt the more he tried to decipher the feelings he was experiencing, refusing to admit his suspicions to himself, so eventually he was just lying there staring at nothing.

Felix came to visit him around noon, asking him if everything was okay.

“Just feeling a bit under the weather.”

“Do you want to go see a doctor?” Felix was worried as he handed Changbin a glass of water.

Changbin shook his head and thanked him for the water.

“Try and sleep it off then. But tell us if you feel worse, okay?”

Felix left him alone in the room again and Changbin listened to the muffled noise from the living room. There was nothing wrong with him, physically. And he didn’t mean to make them worried but he needed some time to figure himself out.

He actually fell asleep a little later and only woke up when he heard the sound of a plate being placed on his nightstand. He blinked his eyes open to find Minho staring at him with wide eyes.

“Sorry, did I wake you?”, Minho whispered with an apologetic smile. “I just brought you some food.”

Changbin grumbled something that even he himself didn’t understand and sat up a bit, grabbing the plate of sandwiches Minho had put on the nightstand.

His voice was rough from sleep when he finally spoke. “Thanks. What’s the time?”

Minho checked the clock. “Just after six. I’ll get you another glass of water.” He took the empty glass and disappeared for a moment before returning with a full one and handed it to Changbin. “Go back to sleep if you need to.”

Changbin muttered another thanks and Minho left him alone again in the stillness of the room. The constant worry and anxiety in Changbin made him feel exhausted and before he knew it, he was fast asleep again.

The following morning, Changbin woke up feeling more well rested than he had in ages. He stretched himself lazily and was relieved to find that maybe all he had needed was some sleep to stop overthinking and worrying himself. He took a shower and then sluggishly joined the other members having breakfast in the kitchen.

“He’s alive”, Jisung greeted him loudly and pulled out a chair for him. “Feel better?”

Changbin nodded and happily accepted the coffee Felix handed him. “Yeah, much.”

Chan gave him a thumbs up as he helped himself to another serving of buttered toast. “Good to hear!”

“So anyway”, Jisung piped up again, “where were we?”

“You just said that Sungsoo’s company sucks”, Seungmin helped out. “I agree by the way.”

“Wow”, Minho said with no emotion in his voice. “You guys can finally agree on something. Has hell frozen over?”

Jisung rolled his eyes dismissively at Minho. “Don’t be ridiculous, Elsa would never go to hell.”

Minho was about to reply when Hyunjin cut in, “That’s not even important right now. What’s important is that Changho needs to up his game.”

“Agreed. The tension is killing me”, Felix added.

Jisung sputtered at their comments. “What?! Changho ain’t shit, we are Team Jinsun in this household!”

Chan put a hand on Jisung’s shoulder and shook his head when Jisung turned to face him. 

Minho buttered another slice of toast and replied, “How do you even know that Changho has feelings for Minyoon? Aren’t you all just speculating?”

The whirlwind of emotions that had Changbin feeling miserable the day before were threatening to return and he kept his eyes firmly on the food in front of him.

Hyunjin huffed a laugh at Minho’s question. “No offense, but you’re being dumb.”

“Hey!”

“I’m just saying! You would know if you ever made it past chapter three.”

Seungmin turned to Minho with a disapproving look. “You’re still on chapter three? It’s been two days. We had the whole day off yesterday and you didn’t even read?”

The words hit Changbin like an ice cold shower and his head snapped up so quickly he almost pulled a muscle in his neck. His eyes met Minho’s only for a split second before Minho looked away.

Minho shrugged and didn’t say anything further so the rest of the members went back to their original discussion until Chan changed the topic to work.

Changbin felt like the ground had been ripped out from under him and something about Minho’s look made him extremely scared. Of what, he didn’t know.

It was a dangerous tightrope he had been pushed out on suddenly, and he only had himself to blame.


	6. Up to date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooo~
> 
> my gf is working out next to me rn while i'm eating gummy bears :/
> 
> i'm posting two chapters of this one today bc i just realized how short this chapter is :(

Rubatosis, noun. The unsettling awareness of one’s own heartbeat. Changbin’s heart had been hammering away in his chest ever since breakfast and it hadn’t gotten any better as the day went on. They rushed off to the airport right after they had finished eating, boarding the next flight to Tokyo.

He avoided Minho as much as possible and was glad to be sitting next to Jeongin on the plane, three rows in front of Minho and Jisung. It felt like Minho was staring into his back with laser beams for eyes but Changbin reasoned with himself that this was just his anxiety talking and ridiculous above all.

Once they had touched down in Japan and had stowed away their luggage in the hotel, the group went out to use the rest of the afternoon and evening to explore a bit and do some shopping and sightseeing. Changbin stayed close to Felix and Jeongin for the most part until they arrived at a beautiful bridge and decided to take pictures.

Felix and Jeongin were busy taking pictures of each other while Changbin took some selfies with the river in the background. Minho stepped up to him with a smile holding out his hand and Changbin stared at it with a confused face.

“Give me your phone, I’ll take a picture of you”, Minho explained and Changbin handed his phone over. It felt strange suddenly, being the sole focus point of Minho’s attention and Changbin had to avert his eyes, gazing off to the side.

Minho handed the phone back to him. “I took a couple. Should we take one together?”

Felix sidled up to him. “I’ll take it!”

He got his phone ready and Minho threw an arm over Changbin’s shoulder, pulling him closer to himself and striking a pose. Changbin felt his cheeks heat up as he flashed a smile, willing himself to just act like a normal goddamn being. He was growing frustrated with himself.

Changbin felt a strange emptiness as Minho left his side to check out the pictures on Felix’s phone and he let out a sigh.

“Should we go for dinner?”, Chan asked as he joined them. “I’m kinda hungry.”

Hyunjin made a dramatic show, bowing profusely. “I thought you’d never ask!”

They sat down at a nice restaurant and were waiting for their orders when Seungmin sighed, looking around the restaurant. “This is kinda like what I would imagine Minyoon and Jinsun choose as a location for their first date.”

Jisung excitedly gave him a thumbs up. “Good call!”

Their food arrived and Minho started eating, pausing in between bites to give his own opinion. “I don’t know what you guys are talking about. It seems like Minyoon and Jinsun are just good friends.”

Jisung paused with a full mouth to stare at him. “Are you like those historians that say that ancient gays were just good pals?”

Hyunjin held up a hand. “Hold on a moment. How would you even know? I thought you only read until chapter three.”

Changbin was tensely watching the conversation, chewing slowly and his leg was bouncing nervously under the table. Minho’s eyes wandered down the table to look at Changbin, searching his face for something before looking down on his food and eating again.

He continued eating and between bites answered, “I’m almost up to date.”

Time seemed to stop for Changbin. It felt like he was watching a car crash in slow motion, like he was frozen, paralyzed.

Minho knew.


	7. Like ships in the night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaand here's part two~
> 
> enjoy and hope you have a great day/night! :D

Their trip to Tokyo only lasted for two days and Changbin spent the entire time in a haze. His thoughts were constantly racing and he felt like he had chugged fifteen shots of espresso in one go. He felt Minho’s watchful eyes on him time and time again, though Minho didn’t approach him or speak up about the story anymore.

For some reason it felt to Changbin like Minho was a tiger lying in wait in the low grass, just waiting to pounce on his prey and Changbin was desperately scrambling to brace himself for impact.

The flight home arrived faster than they had expected and Felix and Jisung whined about not having had enough time to go shopping as they got off the plane back in Korea.

“We’re flying out to LA the day after tomorrow anyway so why are you complaining? Just shop there”, Seungmin offered as he grabbed his bag from the luggage pickup.

Jisung picked up his own and huffed. “It’s about the principle of the thing.”

Travelling always left them exhausted, no matter how many times they did it. The ride back to the dorm was quiet and there wasn’t much talk until they had entered the apartment.

“I’m hitting the shower”, Felix grunted out as he dropped his bags to the floor. “Are we ordering for dinner?”

“I’ll get it”, Chan sighed and disappeared into the kitchen to get the takeout menus.

Dinner was quiet as Jeongin, Hyunjin and Jisung were fighting sleep and not long after the members disappeared into their respective rooms, calling it a day.

Changbin picked up his laptop from his room and settled down on the couch again in the living room. He was too wired to sleep and would just use the time to write until he got too exhausted to stay awake.

He got into a zone as time went on and was only ripped from his writing induced trance when the couch dipped next to him and he found Minho sitting there looking over his shoulder.

Panicked, Changbin exited the window and looked back at Minho with wide eyes.

“It’s you, isn’t it”, Minho said. His voice was quiet, trying not to wake anyone up and he was sitting so close that Changbin could smell the toothpaste on Minho’s breath as he spoke. “You’re the writer.”

Changbin’s heart felt like it was about to give out. He wondered for a second if his heartbeat could be heard with how hard his heart was beating in his chest. He shook his head belatedly and Minho chuckled under his breath.

“Don’t lie.” There was a pause. “It’s pretty obvious, you know. I don’t know how the others haven’t realized it already. You didn’t even change the names much.”

This was it. Changbin was going to die like this. Okay, maybe he was just having a panic attack or something. But still.

Minho scooched the tiniest bit closer to him, eyes searching Changbin’s face and landing on his lips. His voice dropped a little lower as he spoke again.

“So, who does Minyoon choose in the end?”

Changbin swallowed hard and his voice came out shaky when he answered. “I don’t know:”

There was another pause and Minho nodded slightly, more to himself than to Changbin. Within a heartbeat, he surged forward, pushing Changbin back onto the couch, their lips connecting.

It felt like the air was knocked out of Changbin and he just stayed still for a moment, completely shocked by the sudden movement, until he felt Minho straddle his waist, his hands reaching up to cup Changbin’s face.

Maybe it was just a reflex but Changbin kissed him back then, soft and hesitant. He felt Minho grin into the kiss and a moment later Minho deepened the kiss, tongue swiping across his bottom lip, one hand tangled in Changbin’s hair.

Changbin’s skin felt like it was on fire, like there was electricity in his bloodstream, like something deep in his chest had suddenly dropped.

Minho pressed a last firm kiss onto Changbin’s lips before he climbed off of him, standing next to the couch for a moment. Changbin sat up a little bit with tousled hair and spit slick lips, disoriented and dazed.

Changbin heard Minho take a deep breath as he looked down at him. Before he turned around to go back to bed he muttered,“I hope he makes the right choice.”


	8. Down to the wire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeehaw fellow friends!
> 
> i havent slept in like two days but u know how it isssssss~
> 
> i hope you're all having a great time and a super fresh day/night! :D

It was two in the morning when Changbin marched himself to bed like a zombie. After Minho had left, he had stayed on the couch, not moving, just replaying what had happened in his mind over and over.

The restlessness he had been dealing with for a while now was replaced by a strange feeling of calmness and he wondered why he was not freaking out now after what went down. It was like everything had stopped and Changbin was just existing in between breaths. He was sure he wouldn’t be able to sleep that night, thoughts running in circles in his head. Against his expectations, he was out like a light the second his head hit his pillow.

Apparently sleeping it off did not work to get rid of spontaneous zombification, as Changbin found out the next day. Everyone was busy packing their suitcases for a weeklong US schedule and Changbin was no exception, packing clothes and necessities in a bizarre state of zen.

The others gave him weird looks but didn’t press him about his odd serenity, too caught up in making sure they didn’t forget to pack anything important and fitting last second gym sessions, family video calls and laundry loads into their day.

The day flew by before Changbin even knew it and as he climbed into bed, setting an alarm for the early flight tomorrow, he finally felt his mental paralysis wash away. There was a faint spark inside him, a hopeful desire, vulnerable and burning quietly.

Between hopping on and off planes, rushing in and out of airports, sleeping and working on lyrics during flights, Changbin didn’t have much time to think about anything. It was only when Felix and him entered their hotel room in LA that he could finally relax and organize his thoughts. It was a little after noon and Felix was currently trying to convince him to go on a sightseeing tour with him, Jisung, Jeongin and Chan as Changbin unpacked some of his clothes and toiletries.

“Just come along, it’ll be fun”, Felix tried again, waiting by the door. “Seungmin, Hyunjin and Minho said they’ll nap for a bit since they didn’t sleep much during the flights.”

Changbin waved him off. “I wanna just relax for a little bit. We’re all going for dinner later anyway, right?”

Felix rolled his eyes. “Fine.” He grabbed the room key from the table and put on a baseball cap. “We’ll be back at like six, I guess. And I think Chan’s gonna reserve a table for seven or seven-thirty-ish.”

Changbin nodded at him and gave him a quick wave as Felix bid him goodbye.

The door fell shut behind him and Changbin let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. He opted to write instead of dwelling on his current chaotic emotions and sat down working on lyrics for a while before his thoughts kept wandering back to his story more and more.

Eventually, he gave up and started writing, losing himself in his made up world again for a while.

He heard something scratch against his door and checked his watch to see that he had been sitting there writing for the past three and a half hours when his attention was dragged back to the door, a couple quick knocks echoing through the empty hotel room.

He sighed as he got up. It was probably one of the members who had stayed behind since the weather outside was nice and Felix wasn’t supposed to be back for a while. His guess was that Hyunjin had probably woken up and wanted attention.

When he opened the door, he didn’t expect to find Minho standing in front of him.

“Oh good, you’re up.” He entered Changbin’s room without giving him time to reply, sitting down cross legged on Felix’s bed. “I thought you might stay behind to write.”

Changbin felt his heart rate speed up as he closed the room door, joining Minho by sitting on his own bed and staring at him.

“What are you doing here?” He didn’t expect the question to come out sounding so blunt and winced internally.

Minho raised an eyebrow at him and grabbed the remote off the nightstand, turning on the tv. “Watch a movie with me, I’m bored.”

Changbin sighed, closed his laptop and pushed it away from him to settle back into the pillows on his bed. The atmosphere in the hotel room felt suffocating and Changbin wished they weren’t on the 25th floor so he could open the window. “What are we watching?”

He looked over to find Minho looking at him with an intense gaze that sent shivers down his back. Minho scooted over a little bit and patted the empty space next to him. When Changbin didn’t move right away he did it again, motioning him to come over. Changbin’s body moved before he even realized it and he settled down pressed up against Minho, feeling his warm body radiate heat.

Minho slid down in the pillows a little bit, resting his head on Changbin’s shoulder and his hand on Changbin’s thigh. Changbin’s brain was short-circuiting and he wondered if this was a dream. He couldn’t pay attention to the movie with Minho rubbing lazy circles into Changbin’s thigh and the tension in the air was so thick that Changbin was sure you could have cut it with a knife. He swallowed and found it hard to speak when he opened his mouth.

“What are you doing-”

Minho turned around on the bed in one swift motion, straddling Changbin just like he had done two days ago. A strong sense of deja vu overcame Changbin as he looked up at Minho perched on top of him, dark eyes looking back at him.

“You know”, was all Minho said before he leaned down and pulled Changbin into a rough kiss, and Changbin felt like the floodgates had opened.


	9. International affairs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yoooo~
> 
> whew ok so having sex is definitely easier than writing it i am ASHAMED
> 
> this is a double update bc the next chapter is super short - pls don't look at me

One of Minho’s hands was tangled in Changbin’s hair as the other scrambled down his chest to slip under his shirt, at first a feathery touch to his abdomen before grabbing his waist and pulling him down a bit further on the bed so that Changbin was lying down fully.

Changbin gasped in between kisses pulling Minho close again by the neck when he leaned away for a moment. He needed him closer, a burning want spreading through him, his rational thinking thrown out the window.

Minho slid his second hand down Changbin’s body, breaking the kiss once more to get rid of Changbin’s shirt, quickly discarding his own afterwards. He leaned back down to kiss Changbin again, their bare chests touching as Minho slid his tongue into Changbin’s mouth. Changbin thought he was going crazy, Minho’s touch, his smell, his soft noises making him light headed.

Minho moved away from his mouth, trailing kisses down Changbin’s jaw and neck, grinding down onto Changbin’s hardening length in his sweatpants. The motion made Changbin groan and Minho huffed out a soft laugh, kissing and sucking at his chest.

He repeated the movement, tracing a light touch over one of Changbin’s nipples and Changbin’s hands tried desperately to grab onto him, his hair, his shoulder, anything.

Minho leaned back for a moment, looking down at Changbin and when Changbin blinked his eyes a few times, looking back up at him, it almost took his breath away. Minho was panting lightly, flushed skin, hungry eyes, a smile on his face that was both arrogantly pleased and shyly embarrassed.

Minho cleared his throat. “We can stop. If you want to.”

The idea of someone denying Minho like this seemed criminal to Changbin and he pulled him down again for another kiss, gentler this time, passionate. He hoped it would convey all the words he wanted to say but couldn’t, yet.

Minho understood Changbin’s approval if nothing else and kissed slowly down his chest, the air around them no longer filled with hungry desperation, instead being replaced by cautious, tender touches, the anticipation and uncertainty of something new.

As Minho hooked his fingers into the waistband of Changbin’s sweatpants he looked up at him, a silent question to make sure.

Changbin nodded quickly and Minho pulled the sweatpants and Changbin’s underwear off in one go. His eyes trailed up Changbin’s body, looking him all over and Changbin felt exposed all of a sudden. He wasn’t sure what to do with his hands and reached up to cover himself out of reflex, but Minho caught his hands midair, holding them for a moment.

“You look gorgeous”, he breathed out and Changbin didn’t have time to come up with a reply before Minho’s hand wrapped around his length, swiping his thumb across the tip. Changbin groaned loudly and shut his eyes. He couldn’t look at Minho, he was slowly coming undone and every single one of Minho’s touches was driving him insane.

Minho leaned down and took Changbin in his mouth, jerking him off with one hand while he was licking his tip, earning whines and moans from Changbin who grabbed onto the sheets with one hand, the other taking hold of a fistful of Minho’s hair.

Changbin breathed out a quiet “Holy Shit-” and Minho swallowed more of him, speeding up his hand movement. He pulled off of Changbin’s dick for a moment to look up at him and Changbin opened his eyes to see Minho’s between his legs, swollen lips and dilated pupils, and as he sank down again, Changbin let out a low groan.

“Fuck, Minho-” He found it hard to breathe. “I’m close, please… don’t stop-”

Minho pulled off of him one more time, hand speeding up again and whispered, “Come for me.”

The words were all it took for Changbin to lose himself and Minho pushed his mouth down on his dick again. Changbin came into Minho’s mouth and heard him gag for a moment as he swallowed. Minho stroked him through his orgasm and leaned back afterwards to take in the picture before him. Changbin would bet his bottom dollar that he looked like a hot mess right now, but his eyes immediately trailed down Minho’s face and heaving chest to land on the prominent bulge in his sweatpants.

He propped himself up on one elbow to drag Minho down beside him with the other arm before straddling him, flipping their positions.

Minho looked stunning and Changbin licked his bottom lip at the sight. “Can I…?”

The question sounded stupid to him but Minho just let out a laugh. “For the love of god,  _ please  _ do.”

Changbin got rid of Minho’s pants and underwear in no time and pressed a soft kiss to his stomach. He squirmed for a moment though his movement stilled immediately when Changbin took hold of his dick, starting off with slow movements that had Minho whimpering as he let his head fall back onto the bed.

It was surreal to Changbin, seeing Minho like this, becoming unraveled, all because of him. He sped up and Minho cursed under his breath, dragging him up by the arm to crash their lips together in a messy kiss.

“Fuck”, he breathed out, cutting himself off with a moan. “Please-”

Changbin kissed him again and leaned back, sliding further down the bed to suck Minho into his mouth. He had only done this once before and for a second he was worried, scared to fuck this up, but then Minho let out a loud groan and he began to move up and down his dick, trying to take in as much as he could.

Minho couldn’t stop the moans coming from his mouth, louder and louder, desperate panting escaping him, “Please- fuck, keep going, you’re doing so good, so good-”

Changbin felt like he was high, ecstatic, he wanted to hear these words over and over again. Minho’s praise spurred him on and he increased the speed of his motions, swallowed him down just a little bit more and Minho came with a tumble of words from his lips that sounded suspiciously like Changbin’s name. Changbin swallowed it all, leaning back on his legs to look down at Minho.

Minho’s eyes were half closed, his chest heaving and he pulled Changbin down to lie half on top of him, half next to him.

They stayed like this for a moment, catching their breath, Changbin tracing patterns on Minho’s chest with a gingerly touch. The moment felt delicate and Changbin was afraid to break it if he said a single word. But he had to.

His voice was quiet but filled with hope as he asked, “So, what does this mean?”

Minho was silent for a moment and Changbin felt doubts rise up in his chest. It felt like an eternity until Minho finally opened his mouth.

Whatever he had been about to say was not coming out though because the door to the hotel room swung open and Felix pranced into the room with a smiley face until he saw Minho and Changbin, naked and cuddled up on his bed, and he stopped in his tracks.

“Oh my god”, he breathed out. “Oh my god!” Felix pressed his hands to his eyes. “I didn’t see anything! This never happened! How dare you do it on my bed though?! Okay, I’m going, nothing to see here!”

He immediately left the room again and Minho and Changbin exchanged a worried look.

Minho sighed. “I put a do not disturb sign on the door before I came in...I’ll go talk to him.”

Changbin was grateful, though he was sure he would get an earful from Felix later. He watched as Minho grabbed his clothes and got dressed. Minho lingered by the foot of the bed for a moment, a hesitant smile on his face.

“I think it’s time for you to figure out an end for your story. It’s been dragging on for too long.”


	10. Every end harbors a new beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok this is it for this one!
> 
> i hope you enjoyed this - i enjoyed writing it!! :D
> 
> have the freshest of days everyone and make sure to stay healthy and happy!

The silence was deafening now that Changbin was alone in the hotel room again. Something had changed in him, it was like somebody had wiped the dirt of a pair of glasses and he was finally able to see everything in high definition.

He felt the corners of his lips lift up into a smile as put on his clothes again, and grabbed his laptop, sitting down on Felix’s bed. He would just take this one, that’s the least he could do for Felix, he guessed.

His roommate came back to the room half an hour later just as Changbin pressed the last key and hit ‘Post’. He closed the laptop and Felix gave him a judgemental look.

“My bed? Really?”

Changbin grimaced. “I’m sorry! It just happened!”

Felix rolled his eyes and went to take a shower, calling out to him from the bathroom. “How did that even happen?!”

Good question. “It’s a long story.”

Felix joined Changbin again a few minutes later, letting him know the bathroom was empty. 

“You know you’ll have to tell me at some point”, he called after Changbin.

Thirty minutes later, everyone met downstairs in the lobby to wait for their cabs to the restaurant. Changbin and Minho exchanged a look and the events from earlier flashed through Changbin’s mind, making him blush and avert his gaze when Minho smirked at him, seemingly having the same thought.

“What?!” Jisung jumped up from the big armchair in the lobby he had been sitting in, finally lifting his eyes off his phone. “What?!?!”

His reaction caused a domino effect as the other members followed his example, lowering their phone and yelling over each other.

“That’s the end?!” Hyunjin threw his arms up in the air. “What am I gonna do now?!”

Felix’s face was stuck in a shocked expression, mirroring Chan next to him. Changbin almost laughed at them, looking like humanoid fish in a high end hotel lobby.

Jisung whined again. “I can’t believe Minyoon chose  _ him _ !”

Seungmin sighed deeply, clapping Jisung on the back. “It’s good we didn’t bet on it after all.”

Jeongin joined in, laughing at the two of them. “I told you!”

They almost didn’t notice their cabs pulling up until Chan pointed it out, the rest of them still arguing.

Amidst all the chaos, Changbin looked over to Minho, a fluttering feeling in his chest that he had finally found the right word for. And as he saw Minho smiling back at him with slightly red ears and crinkles around his eyes he thought that this picture surely was worth more than a thousand words.

**Author's Note:**

> character names:
> 
> minho - minyoon  
> changbin - changho  
> jisung - jinsun  
> chan - chanyoung  
> felix - yongjoon  
> seungmin - sungsoo  
> jeongin - jeongsuk  
> hyunjin - hyuntae
> 
> pls lemme know ur thots as always!
> 
> have a fresh day/night and stay warm (it's freezing!!!!)


End file.
